FARO Sphere XG vs Skydio: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of FARO Sphere XG and Skydio to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
FARO Sphere XG
5.9/10
FARO Sphere XG is a cloud platform where construction, operations and geospatial teams process, view, measure and share point clouds, 360 photos and BIM models.
Skydio
6.6/10
US maker of autonomous drones, docks and inspection software. It serves utilities, public safety, defense and infrastructure teams that need repeatable asset inspections and 3D scans.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | F FARO Sphere XG | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.9/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Integration | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 4/10 | 2/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Customization | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Features | ||
| Asset Registry | Not listed | |
| Digital Twin | Not listed | |
| Drone Inspection | Not listed | |
| GIS and Mapping | Not listed | |
| Inspection Automation | Not listed | |
| LiDAR Processing | Not listed | |
| Power Line Inspection | Not listed | |
Which One Should You Choose?
FWhy choose FARO Sphere XG
- Higher Cost score (4/10 vs 2/10)
- Better fit for construction (9/10 vs 6/10)
Why choose Skydio
- Higher Integration score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Analytics score (6/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
FFARO Sphere XG
Pros
- It accepts data from FARO terrestrial and mobile scanners, from iPhone LiDAR and from 360 cameras, so mixed capture methods end up in one cloud project.
- The Stream app pre-registers Orbis scans in the field, which reduces failed registrations and repeat site visits.
- Scans are placed on floor plans and sorted by date, which suits progress documentation and dispute records.
- A SOC 2 Type 2 examination by A-LIGN covers FARO Sphere and HoloBuilder.
- Capterra reviewers give it a high average rating and mention responsive customer support.
Cons
- There is no public pricing. Every package needs a custom quote from FARO.
- It works best with FARO hardware, and third-party integrations are not well documented.
- Some reviewers say the editing layout is hard to navigate, and others say pricing could be better.
- It has no maintenance, work-order or asset-registry functions for industrial operations.
Skydio
Pros
- Asset Command ties every capture to an asset record and its inspection cycle, so results can be compared over time.
- 3D Scan exports to DroneDeploy, Pix4D, Esri, Trimble and Bentley, so outputs fit into existing mapping tools.
- Dock for X10 and the browser-based Ops Center let teams run inspections remotely from anywhere.
- NDAA compliance and US design and assembly suit government and critical infrastructure buyers.
- Skydio says operators become proficient within minutes, though they still need a Part 107 license.
Cons
- No public pricing; a retailer lists the Dock for X10 at about $57,744 before plans and maintenance.
- It is not a CMMS, so work orders, spare parts and maintenance planning need another system.
- Independent user reviews are scarce, and most available material is vendor marketing.
- The platform depends on Skydio hardware rather than supporting other drone brands.
Not sold on either?
Air Inspection Automation (AiA)Our product
Plans DJI drone inspection missions for power line towers from LiDAR scans: it finds the towers, places photo stops, checks clearance, and splits the route into battery flights.
Made by the team behind b stack radar. Shown here because it fits this topic. It is not part of our rankings. How we rank tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Skydio scores higher on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria: 6.6/10 against 5.9/10 for FARO Sphere XG. The largest gap is in Cost: 4/10 for FARO Sphere XG and 2/10 for Skydio.
No, neither FARO Sphere XG nor Skydio lists a free plan.
FARO Sphere XG is the better fit for construction: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 6/10 for Skydio.
